Ideas about two Karameikos Campaigns: Civil War and Rebellion
by Ben HakerThe LONG story of two campaigns in the Karameikos.
Karameikos - Civil War.
I chained B11, B12, B6, B10, X1 (I love the madness of it) and G1 (located at the mountains north-west of Threshold, hence the decimated Giants and Gnolls - see comments in the prologue) into a mini-campaign. I throw in a few hooks (especially in B10 & G1) that gave the party an understanding that something is happening. Then we moved to the free flowing part. The party investigated the Black Eagle Barony and found partial proof. After a few missions aimed at preparing Karameikos to the war, including a War Machine session, they failed their mission with Argos.
We moved on to another campaign but I have decided to give them a chance to make amends.
Karameikos - Rebellion (Draft of the prologue)
"Stefan Karameikos lost the civil war. Baron Ludwig von Hendriks plan worked.
The group of adventurers sent to negotiate with, or slay, Argos the Great failed. Shortly after, the Goblin and Hobgoblin tribes of the forest led by Argos stormed Kelvin. Once Kelvin fell the Baron’s forces marched from the Black Eagle and attacked Luln. The Town quickly surrendered, it’s inhabitants fleeing to the hills. The Baron’s army marched east throwards Specularum and met the Duke’s army in open field. The fight was harder than the Baron expected and was decided on a knife's edge. The Duke could not muster his entire army as some fell at Kelvin, the eatern army could not move west because of the dragon and the Thyatian religious rebels led by Alfric Oderbry roamed free. The Duke did have enough warning to muster most of the reserves but it was not enough. They could not stop the Thyatain mercenary heavy cavalry charge. The Baron’s forces took a beating but at the end of the day, they owned the field. The Duke retreated and the Baron followed. Specularum was sieged but a port city is hard to take without a proper fleet.
The war ended when Thyatis took advantage of the situation and sent a few legions. Karameikos is an important trade route and no one likes it when trade is disrupted. The Specularum Accord left Duke Stefan Karameikos a broken man and gave Baron Ludwig von Hendriks the status of next in line and most of the real power in the realm. While not a complete victory, it was enough. For all purposes the Baron ruled the land.
All expect of Threshold. The town managed to win it’s fight for survival. The Giant and Gnoll tribes were decimated by some adventurers and the initial assault on the town failed. It is hard to take a town that so any hardy adventurers call home. Threshold remained the only free region in the land, the only place where Traladarans are free people and not subjects to the growing cruelty of the Thyatians. Threshold may be free but it is constantly threatened by the Baron’s agents plotting against it.
In this reality you have grown. Children, Citizens and maybe even Adventurers of Threshold."
This part is going to be played using 5e (the previous one was with BECMI).
If you have any ideas for specific encounters please feel free to send them over.